EVENTS & TRAVELS

Jan

Just half an hour away drive from Chiusi, who would have thought that there’s this rare retreat boutique hotel at the hilltop village? Monteverdi Tuscany has done an amazing job in restoring the village by maintaining the original framework of stone shell.

Every room and suite has its own design aesthetic and characteristic. This rustic and contemporary village suite that I stayed in combines the elements of wood, brass and iron.

The slender frames of brass that built the bed frame has added spice to the journey. It is such a statement piece of the suite which you wouldn’t miss out. The materials used are irregular, rustic and minimal at the same time.

Another statement piece in the suite, is definitely the free standing copper bath. I spent 3 nights having a nice hot bath with a glass of Italian wine (and snacks). It was just the perfect way to spend a cozy night after a day of exploring.

Monteverdi Tuscany has one of the best spa I have ever visited. Apart from the great selection of the treatments, the stone walls restoration gives a very nice touch to the place. The serenity pool has a big window that allows you to look out to the hilltop mountain view, which is absolutely breathtaking!

The location of Monteverdi Tuscany is amazing as it is in the middle of Florence and Rome. You can easily make a day trip to Rome/Florence within a couple of hours. Meantime, you have the luxury of privacy and peace on the hilltop with one of the best view in Tuscany!

Please visit Monteverdi Tuscany for more information on the luxury boutique hotel and book it for your Tuscany trip! For those who are looking for an escape from the city and looking for serenity, this will take your breath away the moment you arrives!

Apr

It was an unusual feeling the moment I walked into Riad Snan13, it was almost magical. I was welcomed by the utmost serenity and tranquility with the calm pool and clean interior design.

I also love the touch of pale peach roses in the bowl. It’s one of the cutest decorative home accessory I’ve seen for a long time.

If you want to indulge yourself with the discreet essence of the rich culture of Marrakech, Riad Snan13 would be perfect for you. The interior design of Riad Snan13 is more monochromatic in comparison to most of the riad’s rich colours & decoration such as bold paintings and patterned tiles.

The hanging Moraccan lamp shade gives a bold statement in the monochromatic beige room complementing the simplicity of the interior of the Le Petit Patio. From the wooden stool to the brass mirror, Riad Snan13 enjoys playing with the materials and shapes of furniture rather than their pattern.

I was in love with the turquoise colour (with grey tone) of their doors and windows too in the entire riad too. They complement so well with everything else that somehow give the surrounding a calming factor.

This is definitely my favourite lounging area in the riad. I like the music that the host plays too! I’ve spent quite some time in this space for my editing – it was so calming indeed! The statement GIANT lamp shade plus the bold chairs with pop of colourful cushions – some serious styling skill here!

There is a roof top dining area where the breakfast will be served to enjoy the morning sun too!

Or if you want to read a book on a day bed instead? 🙂

Please visit Riad Snan13 for more information on the hotel and book it for your Marrakech trip! For those who love monochromatic interior design and searching for tranquility in Marrakech, this is your choice!

Mar

Marrakech is a busy city surrounded by narrow and bustling streets (and slightly dangerous too with their impatient motorcyclists), but you will never guess what’s behind the door of each building. It seemed ordinary when I arrived at the door front of Riad Mena, but after walking through it and passing the corridors, it took me to the interior design heaven in Marrakech, Morocco.

The giant trees and plants made it the best courtyard I have ever been to. The moment I walked into the Grant Suite, I was shocked by the size of the entire space. It was huge but I certainly did not feel emptiness in the room with the strategically organized furniture and decorations. One of my favourite pieces were the giant olive green bedside table lamps that give a nice touch to the predominantly white room.

I love the Menzeh in this Grand Suite overlooking the gorgeous courtyard. I took a nap there after having a glass of the Moroccan mint tea (with sugar!). It was rather relaxing afternoon for me – after a long day of photoshoot.

One of the coolest design feature in this Grand Suite at Riad Mena is the shelving units on the wall. The robust and raw aesthetic go well with any decorative accessories and books. And there are plenty of sitting area for you to read a book (or two) too!

What’s better than having a relaxing bath to compose yourself after a long day of travelling? And top it up by opening the doors that lead you to your private terrace – all by yourself!

Riad Mena also has a pool for you to have your morning swim or to cool down in the day surrounded by beautiful plants!

My first visit in Marrakech, Morocco has been amazing especially to start my journey in this gorgeous Riad Mena with the excellency in hospitality. The founder of Riad Mena, Philomena Schurer Merckoll has managed to transform this traditional Moroccan house into a modern boutique hotel that consists of 7 very stylish rooms. I would be visiting again in the future without a doubt!

Please visit Riad Mena for more information on the hotel and book it for your Marrakech trip! For those who love interior design and a bit of luxury, this is your choice! P/S: I love the aubergine and Lamb Tagine served by Riad Mena – make sure you request that to try!

Jan

Who else here would hang up their clothes in a hotel wardrobe? I hope that I ain’t the only one! It makes me feel good and cozy to organize my belongings in a hotel always as it feels like I’ve already settled in – especially in such a neat design room. This minimal monochromatic design wardrobe belongs to Hotel Mono in Singapore.

The moment I walked into Hotel Mono, Singapore – a modern boutique hotel that is located closely to Chinatown. Who would have thought this chic and modern hotel is hidden in the historical building? The entrance was simple and yet made an impressive first impression on me when the transparent automated door was opened.

Going through the lounging areas in between floors were like a minimalist playground. The interior design is basic but filled with stylish and modern furniture. And of course, everything is monochrome.

As featured in Cereal’s city guide in Singapore, Hotel Mono definitely stood out from the crowd. This stairway to minimalist heaven in their Loft Room took my breath away – the main reason I wanted to stay there too! This generous Loft room offers great space with 2 beds – one on the ground and another on an elevated floor level within the room. Isn’t that cool?! It’s great for families or group of friends of 4 in my opinion. But being the selfish me, I wanted it all for myself!

The choice of furniture or any structural/building design accessories in Hotel Mono is simple, monochromatic and strong. The design principal is compositional and also symmetrical in a way. Each design piece is carefully curated from the wall lamp, flooring to the shower gel container. Did you notice the Rococo-era windows in this building? They are so characteristic and seem unreal to exist in such a modern city.

Having a monochromatic bedroom in my own house myself, I am actually inspired by Hotel Mono where I would definitely adopt some of the design aspect in my next house – when I can design and build my own house. This black metal stairway is definitely something that I would love to have at my home. There’s a new vision in every angle of the room through the stairway, just like my life perspective. It gives you inspiration each time when you observe, and opens up your imagination and creativity.

Please visit Hotel Mono for more information on the hotel and book it for next visit in Singapore. There’s also a bakery shop that sells very good egg tart too! It’s called Tong Heng – make sure you try their egg tart!

Jan

Rattan chair, plunge pool and tropical plants – Are these the complete package for a cool summer vacation in The Slow, Canggu, Bali? If you haven’t been to Canggu in Bali, you should start planning your next summer trip here! I have been to Seminyak, Bali in the past, but Canggu beat that in my opinion. The crowd in Canggu is young and free – probably due to the surfers in the town. There are many hidden minimalistic cafes (check out Quince Cafe!) and boutiques with artsy interior design too. It’s like a little minimalist heaven in Bali.

The Slow impressed me by their appreciation of art and interior design. Each piece of furniture is carefully selected – at least that’s how I felt it. Each piece of the furniture in the hotel or room has great details and beautifully crafted, either a stool by the bar in the restaurant, the bench in the hallway or the in-house DJ booth. The aesthetic of furniture are all complementary of each other in terms of vibe.

The moment I arrived in the Pool Suite, there were cool jams already playing in the room’s built in speaker. There’s no television in the room/hotel, one of the great concept for visitors like me who need to take things slow and stay away from the distraction on holiday. Who needs a television in this type of environment anyway?

Always start your day with high protein breakfast (Charred fish and noodles – as seen in the image above) and a swim to kick off the holiday.

‘Rainforest’ shower to cool you down in the tropical heat hey! The bench in the shower is so zen!

My favourite part of the day in the Pool Suite is to read a book on the day bed. One of my resolution in 2018 is to take things slower definitely as I had very hectic lifestyle from 2016 since the start of new business. So having the chance of to chill and read is a treat for me in this holiday! And it’s blissful to be surrounded by so much greeneries!

You can also spend a bit of time walking around the hotel to enjoy their arts on walls. Plenty of great photography work from different artists. Definitely something not to miss! They all tell great stories.

There are many sofas and benches in the hotel where you can just sit and chill – have a coffee and share your memories with your friends – or do some people watching perhaps like I did! It’s pretty inspiring. I love the details of the furniture in The Slow as they are all unique and I love the handcrafted quality of it from cushion to woodwork.

The Slow Restaurant is also as chic as the hotel itself. As I mentioned before, the attention to details of design is amazing in The Slow. The ceramic plates and wooden utensils or bowls are all handcrafted too. I enjoyed the drinks in The Slow as they have great selection of mixed fruit/vegetable juices – all served in The Slow labelled bottles!

If you want to catch a bit of sun on the roof top in The Slow, make sure you bring a bottle of beer or their fruit juice to cool you down! It’s a cute place to hang around with your mates!

Please visit The Slow for more information on the hotel and book it for your next summer trip! If you want to take it slow, this is the place. P/S: The internet reception in the room is poor – definitely stop you from spending time on phone too!

Jul

The Santai is an exclusive retreat by Lifestyleretreat, nestled in a quiet neighbourhood close to picturesque rice fields and local village temples but also just a short 15-minute drive from the shops, restaurants and buzzing nightlife of Seminyak.

I was super impressed when I arrived at The Santai due to the architecture of the entire place. It seemed like every piece of furniture or building material has been carefully selected in order to give the guests a peaceful and unique Balinese experience. We were greeted by the friendly staff upon arrival and we were served with some delicious light bites too, which I thought was a nice touch to welcome us to the villa.

I have been dying for this retreat since like forever due to my hectic lifestyle. I woke up every morning with my very own pool view plus the breakfast choice of my own! My favourite was the Japanese bento box! 🙂 Yes, the staff would bring in the food to you anytime you want, I felt so pampered!

This retreat trip at The Santai has given me a chance to calm my soul and relax my mind. I didn’t check my business/work emails for my entire stay and I finally got the time to appreciate my beautiful surroundings. I got to do some yoga in the morning by the pool surrounded by tropical greenery. And I enjoyed some in-villa massages too! Totally the life I dreamt for.

The pool at The Santai is massive. I enjoyed the pool so much with my holiday squad as you can see! After some pool times, I always go for a quick shower outdoor in my master bedroom after my swim or sunbathing.

The master bedroom also comes with gorgeous bathtub that is perfect for a nice salt bath for my own time. It was so quiet and peaceful in the villa and I nearly felt asleep one afternoon in the bathtub.

The ensuite in master bedroom has direct access to the pool in the villa. Every bedroom in the villa has its own ensuite but only the master bedroom has direct access to the pool. A very cool feature in my opinion as I would brush my teeth in the morning and go straight into the pool for a quick swim before my breakfast.

There are plenty of beautiful spots within the villa itself that you can explore and enjoy. This pool villa is perfect for family and friends where you can spend some precious time together and relax at the same time. Or you can also have the entire villa all by yourself! Why not hey!

Dec

It has been nearly 2 months since I last written a blog post. I have been very hectic in past 2 months with moving and traveling, hence the delay! Here’s a quick update with you guys for my trip on Koh Lipe Island in Thailand.

This island is amazing, full of nice people, good food and great vibe. If you are looking for a summer getaway, this could be one of your option!

The sand is as soft and as white as it looks, and the water shades of turquoise. There aren’t much dead corals there, so it’s a bliss to walk on the beach! The food is cheap, and plenty of options for seafood. Cheap beer, cheap food, what else do you need on your holiday? There’s a walking street on the island which has a great vibe for night life. Live bands and music can to be your great companions at night too!

Oct

The Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch is a cleverly designed hotel with stylish rooms that come with everything you need for a super comfy stay. It’s suitable for anyone regardless you are a couple, family, or for a gentleman like me on a business trip.

Only few minutes walk from the underground station, The Hoxton is situated in a prime location surrounded by shops and restaurants. The room is so chic and you have everything you need from the basic essentials to free Wi-Fi, fresh milk, radio, books and more. Oh! And the daily breakfast bag drop filled with OJ, granola pot and banana.

Enjoy the gallery below and you will get to see the beautiful interior design of the hotel and the room that I stayed during my business trip. For your information, all of their double room has the same design!

The hotel lounge has an excellent vibe with reading area and also comfy sofas for coffee break. There’s also a contemporary restaurant in the hotel that serves American inspired food.

It was a very pleasant experience staying in The Hoxton Hotel. The staff were friendly and helpful. The room and shower room were super tidy and clean. There’s nothing negative about this hotel in all honesty, and I love the fact that they have MANY sockets in the room. You don’t have to fight for socket with anyone in there. 🙂

Oct

Giorgio Armani and BFI London Film Festival has gathered 4 talented schools and produced 4 inspiring short films. It was my honour to attend the Films of City Frames global premiere which took place in BFI Southbank with special Ambassador, Dame Helen Mirren and followed by a panel discussion moderated by esteemed journalist Tim Blanks. I was very impressed by students as the standard of the films was as good as professional filmmakers in my opinion. The films have presented laughter, motivation, inspiration and love.